BY ALLISON YOUNG

The right cuisine can keep you cooking (and we definitely don’t mean at your stove) all night long. Esther Blum, a registered dietitian and author of Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous (Chronicle Books, 2007), offers up five food tips for peak pleasure and performance.

1. DON’T EAT AND SHAG

Dine at least one hour before sex so that you can digest your food properly – that way, your blood will flow in all the right directions.

2. SKIP BEANS, BROCCOLI AND CABBAGE

To avoid digestive-tract troubles and potentially embarrassing moments, steer clear of gas-forming foods when you’re on a date.

3. BALANCE YOUR PLATE

Getting the right combination of protein, fat and complex carbohydrates will stabilize your blood sugar for hours to come (no pun intended!).

4. LAY OFF THE FAT

Eating too much fat at a meal lowers testosterone levels, decreases libido and makes erection and ejaculation more difficult.

5. DRINK A LITTLE LESS TO FEEL A LITTLE MORE 

Alcohol impairs your sexual response by dulling the senses, and it may lower testosterone production.

Looking for more sex tips? Pick up the January/February 2010 issue of Maximum Fitness -- on newsstands December 15, 2009.